Device for flattening collapsible tubes



Oct. 27, 1936. CRESSQN A 2,058,667

r] DEVICE FOR FLATTENING COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed July '26, 1935 F /6a7 r i Patented Oct. 27, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Lawrence Cresson, Hammond, Ind.

Application July 26,

Claims.

This invention relates to a device for flattening collapsible tubes and has for one of its principal objects the provision of means for passing a collapsible tube between a pair of parallel rollers.

Another and further important object of the device of this invention resides in the provision of means for maintaining the driving gears in mesh regardless of the distance between the rollers.

Additional objects of importance and advantage, some of which are hereinafter set forth, will be apparent from the disclosures made in the annexed drawing and the following specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device of this invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is an end elevation and shows the relative position of the operating handle.

Figure 4 is an end view of the device with the operating handle removed.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2, and shows the rollers in spaced apart relation.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 and shows the rollers close toether.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a blank from which the rollers are formed.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral l0 indicates in a general way the body of the device of this invention which, in the preferred construction, is substantially rectangular in formation and has inwardly turned top edges I2. A portion of the front side of the body I0 is cut away, as indicated by the reference numeral I4.

Rotatably positioned within the body I U is a fixed roller l6 and a slidable roller H3. The rollers l6 and I8 are each formed from a blank 20 which has castellated ends. When the blank 20 is curled into formation, the castellated ends are turned outwardly to form gears 22 on each end of the rollers, as is clearly shown in Figure 2.

The gears 22 formed on the ends of the rollers l6 and I8 project outwardly therefrom at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. This con- 50 struction of the gearing provides a means for maintaining the gears 22 in mesh when the operating roller [8 is moved away from the fixed roller I6, as is best shown in Figures 2 and 5. When the rollers 16 and I 8 are drawn in close 1935, Serial No. 33,338

together, the teeth of the gears 22 overlap, as is best shown in Figure 6.

Each of the rollers I6 and I8 is mounted on a shaft 24, which projects through an aperture in each end of the body. It will be apparent that 5 the surface of one or both of the rollers may be knurled or otherwise scored to better grip the collapsible tube.

Positioned on one end of the shaft 24 on which the roller [6 is mounted is an operating handle 26. In the preferred embodiment of the device, the handle 26 is made up of two parts. One part. indicated by the reference numeral 28, being hingedly secured to the main portion of the handle 26, is adapted to be folded into said main portion, as is shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2, to enable the device to be readily packed in a carton.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the roller I8 is secured to the body ill by inserting the shaft 24 in the slots 30. The slots 30 being at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, allow the roller I8 to move away from and toward the roller I6.

In operating the device of this invention, the roller I6 is forced upwardly and outwardly to the positions shown in Figures 2 and 5. It will be noted that a considerable space then exists between the roller l6 and the roller l8, into which the end of a collapsible tube may be inserted.

The operating handle 26 is then turned to the left and the gears 22 on the roller I6 transmit force to the roller l8, which causes both rollers to turn inwardly. This movement draws the collapsible tube through the device and also moves the shaft 24 supporting the roller l8 downwardly in the slot 30.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that herein is provided a device which will quickly and efficiently flatten a collapsible tube and in so doing, extrude the contents from said tube.

Moreover, it will be obvious from the foregoing that herein is provided a device which, when in operation, will exert an inward pressure on each roller without the aid of springs. 45

It will be further apparent that herein is provided a device for flattening collapsible tubes which consists of a few sturdy parts that may be economically manufactured and assembled.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an article of manufacture, a pair of rollers, each end'of each of said rollers being castellated and turned outwardly to form an interlocking gear, and means for increasing or decreasing the distance between the centers of said rollers without unmeshing said gears.

2. In an article of manufacture, a pair of rollers, each end of each of said rollers being castellated and turned outwardly to form an interlocking gear, and means for increasing or decreasing the distance between the centers of said rollers without unmeshing said gears, said means comprising angular slots in which one of said rollers is rotatably and laterally movably positioned and said interlocking gear teeth projecting outwardly from each of said rollers at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.

3. In a device for flattening collapsible tubes, a frame, a pair of rollers operably positioned within said frame, each end of each of said rollers being castellated and turned outwardly to form an integral gear thereon, one of said rollers having a drive shaft extending through said frame and having an operating handle secured thereto, said other roller being positioned in angular slots and being adapted when rotated in one direction to move laterally toward said first named roller.

4. In a device for flattening collapsible tubes, a frame, a pair of rollers operably positioned within said frame, each end of each of said rollers being castellated and turned outwardly to form an integral gear thereon, one of said rollers having a drive shaft extending through said frame and having an operating handle secured thereto, said other roller being positioned in angular slots and being adapted when rotated to move toward or from said first named roller.

5. In a device for extruding the contents of collapsible tubes, a frame having two sets of bearing apertures in the ends thereof, one of said sets of bearing apertures comprising angular slots, the other set of bearing apertures consisting of circular openings, each of said slots and said circular openings being in alignment, a rollerjournaled in said aligned circular openings, said roller having an operating handle in association therewith, a second roller operably positioned in said aligned angular slots, said second roller being adapted to move transversely and rotatably, portions of each end of each roller being castellated and turned outwardly at an angle to form an interlocking gear on each end of said rollers.

LAWRENCE CRESSON. 

